Connell, Dow & Deysenroth, Inc.Funeral Home: 2025

Patrick Ryan Dunnion

MILFORD – Patrick Ryan Dunnion, a lifelong area resident, entered into eternal rest at the age of 22.

He was born April 10, 2003, at Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown. He graduated from Milford Central School and then worked in construction, a job he truly liked and excelled at.

Patrick will be remembered for being a very kind person who had an incredible sense of humor. He will be greatly missed by many schoolmates and the friends he made during his brief life.

Patrick will especially be mourned and missed by his grandmother, Margaret Kiss, and her husband, Lionel “Lee” Santos, who raised Patrick at their home in Milford since he was a young child. He is further survived by his father, Joseph Dunnion, of Williampsort, PA, and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Friends may call and pay their respects to Patrick’s family from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown. At 6:30 p.m. a Prayer Service will be offered by the Very Rev. Michael G. Cambi, Pastor of St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown.

Immediately following the visitation, everyone is invited to gather for a reception at Cooperstown Coworks, 6 Doubleday Court, Cooperstown.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.

Polly Renckens

Polly Renckens passed away peacefully on June 2, 2025, surrounded by her loving children. She was 81 years old. Polly will be remembered for her deep devotion to family, her generous spirit, and a life defined by service, humor, and heart.

Polly was born in Syracuse to Helen and Ray Parrott, the third of four children. A proud graduate of SUNY Fredonia, she earned her teaching degree and met the love of her life, Jim. She went on to pursue a master’s degree at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School and lived a vibrant young adult life in New York City and abroad—traveling through Europe, exploring the world, and pushing boundaries with a fierce independence and strong sense of self.

Polly and Jim married in September 1968 and soon welcomed their first child. They relocated from Mamaroneck to Cooperstown, where they became innkeepers at the Hickory Grove Inn. With love, humor, and the support of neighbors, they turned the Grove into a cherished gathering place for locals and visitors alike.

In 1987, Polly launched a new professional chapter as the proprietor of Country Memories, a gift shop in Springfield Center known for its beautifully curated home goods and welcoming atmosphere. She later took on a leadership role at Otsego 2000, a nonprofit dedicated to environmental preservation and community heritage. As Executive Director, she brought both vision and action. In 1991, she founded the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market—now a thriving local institution—connecting farmers and artisans with residents and visitors while revitalizing Main Street.

In 1998, Polly transitioned to become Executive Director of the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, where she brought the same creative spirit and tireless energy. She developed signature events that put the region on the map, including the Snow Sculpture Workshop, Hare by Air, and the Pumpkin Festival, complete with its crowd-favorite giant pumpkin regatta. She also introduced health insurance options for Chamber members, a life-saving resource for small business owners.

Polly was a thoughtful leader and generous colleague, always crafting creative solutions and championing her community. Her dedication to service was woven into everything she did. She was an active member of St. Mary’s Parish in Cooperstown and, after moving to Richfield Springs in 2006, continued her commitment to faith and service at St. Joseph’s Church. Whether making an extra batch of apple muffins to share with friends, organizing funeral receptions through the bereavement committee, or planning the Relay for Life Team Tempura menu, Polly brought energy and joy to every adventure.

She was preceded in death by her husband and partner of 54 years, Jim Renckens, with whom she shared a joyful life raising three children and building strong, lasting ties in every community they touched. Their love and commitment to each other was evident to all who knew them, and their shared legacy continues in the lives they nurtured and the community they enriched.

Later in life, that same generosity and spirit of caring were returned to her by her close friends including by “the Hood,” the amazing families of Six Mile Point, who helped teach the next generation how to create a chosen family. Polly’s children wish to express their deepest thanks to these cherished friends who supported her through the past years with visits, phone calls, shared meals, and countless gestures of love. Your presence and care meant the world to her—and to us.

She is survived by her brother, Paul Parrott; her children, Shannon Varner Renckens and wife Jenn Varner Renckens of Saugerties; Patrick Renckens and wife Shannon Bennett of Saco, Maine; and Beth Gibbons and husband Mike Gibbons of Ypsilanti, Michigan.

She is also survived by her seven grandchildren: Keegan and Finnegan Renckens; Lilian and Cecelia Renckens; and Jonah, Patrick, and Andrew Gibbons.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to donate to the Richfield Springs Food Pantry or a food pantry in your own community, honoring Polly’s lifelong dedication to helping others. Polly’s family welcomes all to gather in remembrance, wearing floral patterns in her honor and joining in laughter, stories, and shared grief.

Calling Hours:

Wednesday, June 11, 2025, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM
Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown, NY

Funeral Mass:

Thursday, June 12, 2025, at 11:00 AM
St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church, 31 Elm Street, Cooperstown, NY
Interment to follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Index

Leland A. Woodbeck

1946 - 2025

HARTWICK – Leland Alfred Woodbeck, 78, passed away Friday afternoon, May 30, 2025, with his family by his side at his home in Hartwick.

He was born June 17, 1946, in Worcester, one of seven sons of Howard B. Woodbeck, Sr. and Lillian Edna Tompkins Woodbeck.

A graduate of Cooperstown Central School, Class of 1966, he began working at the age of 19 for the Clark Foundation, and served as an electrician with them until his retirement.

Woody will be remembered by his family, of whom he was extremely proud, as the best uncle and brother anyone could ask for. A well-known and important part of the Hartwick and Cooperstown communities, he was always willing to help others. He was a phenomenal electrician, and enjoyed farming, cutting firewood and family BBQs. His feisty character and sometimes irreverent sense of humor will be missed by his family and many friends.

Leland is survived by two brothers, Carlton Woodbeck and his wife, Cathy of Hartwick and Herbert Woodbeck and his wife, Jo, of North Carolina, and by many nieces and nephews, including Melissa S. Wayman and her husband, Ben of Mt. Vision, John Elliott (who was raised by Woody and who he considered his father) and his girlfriend, Jamie Kirby of Hartwick, Amanda Travers and her husband, Alex of Mt. Vision, and Steven Woodbeck and Carlton Woodbeck, Jr. of Hartwick. Woody will especially be missed by his beloved dog, Seamus.

Woody was predeceased by four brothers, Howard B. Woodbeck, Jr., Alton Leon Woodbeck, Raymond L. Woodbeck and Herman Donald Woodbeck, Sr.

Family and friends may call at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home from 11 a.m. until 12 Noon on Friday, June 6, 2025. At the conclusion of the visitation, a Funeral Service will be held at the funeral home with Kaler Carpenter, Pastor of River Street Baptist Church in Oneonta officiating. Interment will follow in Hartwick Cemetery.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Thomas J. Cross

1943 - 2025

STAMFORD – On May 25, 2025, Thomas J. Cross from Stamford, age 81, left this world to create his eternal garden in our heavenly realm.

Tom was born to Joseph and Anna Cross in South Amboy, New Jersey, in 1943. He grew up loving to hunt and fish nearby. His father taught him to plant a garden and reap the harvest that would be redeemed by hard work. Later in life Tom grew quite passionate in his love of gardening and it showed through the lovely gardens that he created. Tom told stories of clam digging and fishing in the nearby waters in New Jersey. He loved it, and he would fish the streams for trout later when he moved to New York. His love for the outdoors also led to hunting. With these hobbies, he would incorporate produce or the catch of the day into culinary delights as a gifted home chef. Tom loved to share his skills serving redolent and savory dishes every day. His skills showed by entertaining often, sharing what he had caught, hunted or foraged that day. He can be remembered by his fine wine, fine food and fun times.

Tom’s talent didn’t stop there. He also loved to photograph his beloved flowers and captured them in beautiful snapshots, carefully framed and perched on the walls of his home gallery.

He would tell the stories of when he was a teenager, he would sneak to NYC. Too young to get into the clubs, he would listen to the din of jazz music making its way to his ears and forming a love that would last his lifetime. A love of jazz greats like Miles Davis and John Coltrane would play as he fixed his favorite gourmet dishes for family and friends. His ardent love of music would often turn into an upbeat tempo and the night might have left you dancing into the wee hours of the night.

Tom loved the sounds of nature as well. He brought those sounds inside by creating an indoor aviary, full of exotic birds… finches, parakeets, love birds, doves and more… the house wasn’t quiet until the lights were out.

He attended school at St. Mary’s High school then went on to the Navy. Having served, he then went on to become a junior chemist at Bristol and Merck. His love for music didn’t wane, though, and he worked at Record Town and had his own record store in a college town in New York. He loved to meet the college kids and their share taste in music. Tom eventually worked as a fence installer then started his own business, Custom Fence, which he owned for many years until he retired.

Thomas is predeceased by his parents. Survivors include his sisters, Rita (Ben) Gruda and Carol (Les) Wilson. Tom's children from his first marriage to Margaret; Tom (Stephanie), Scott (Darcy) and Sandra (JP) Maritz. Also, Tija Cross, his loving second wife to which he was married to for 20 years. He is also survived by his beloved little Westie, Willie. Tom leaves behind grandchildren and great grandchildren.

There will be no visiting hours or service. Please remember Tom's slight smile and raise a glass of port in his memory.

Mary E. Dunkle

1929 - 2025

COOPERSTOWN – Mary E Dunkle passed away peacefully on May 23, 2025, just shy of her 96th birthday.

She was born on May 30, 1929, to Kenneth Edwards & Mildred Gregg Edwards in Sussex, NJ. When Mary turned one, they moved to manage a family farm in Wayne County, PA. She graduated from Damascus High School and then from East Stroudsburg State University and became a teacher.

She married John Kiernan in 1950, and divorced in 1969. They had 2 daughters. She taught in Ithaca and Sherburne, but finished her career in 1978 in North Salem Schools in Northern Westchester County.

In 1972 she married Edwin Dunkle of Katonah. With Ed she purchased a camp on Lake Otsego where they would spend weekends and summers. Ed passed in 1979. Mary then sold the camp and purchased her home in the Village of Cooperstown, where she retired in 1984.

Mary had many interests. Sailing with the Otsego Sailing Club, skiing, and hiking each Tuesday with the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. She enjoyed sewing with the Presbyterians, knitting, overnight education trips with grandchildren, cooking for friends, volunteering, and was a crossword fanatic. Mary was involved in the beginning of the Glimmerglass Opera Guild and was President of Opera Guild International. She also was a great Friend of Bassett. She loved arranging fundraisers and was known for her fabulous parties. She was a master of entertaining.

Mary traveled the world and would collect ornaments from all over. She would decorate her home every Christmas with the ornaments and recruit her friends to assist. Her collection is close to 1000 pieces.

Mary was predeceased by her parents, her sister Eleanor Edwards Pallis, brother Arthur Edwards, and nephew Daniel Pallis. She is survived by her daughter Sandra Kiernan Fowlston (Tim) and her daughter Meg Kiernan (Mike), her grandchildren, Clint Fowlston (Vannesa), Jack Fowlston (Bryanna), Kate Haynes (Kenneth), Meg Rathbun (Tom), and Molly Hernandez (Dan). Also survived by her great-grandchildren, Brie, Brooke, Jayden, Camden, Owen, Kiernan, Penelope and Stetson. Also surviving are her step-children Steven, Eric and Denise Dunkle.

We invite her friends to join us for Mary’s last party which will be held Sunday, June 8, 2025, at 4 p.m. at Cooperstown Coworks, 6 Doubleday Court, Cooperstown.

In lieu of flowers we encourage you to donate to the Glimmerglass Opera Guild PO Box 491 Cooperstown, NY 13326 or the Friends of Bassett, One Atwell Road Cooperstown, NY 13326.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home.

Marlene J. Malone

1932 - 2025

COOPERSTOWN – Marlene J. “Lee” Malone, a long-time Cooperstown resident who was actively involved in many aspects of village life as a business owner and dedicated public servant, passed away Friday evening, May 23, 2025, at Cooperstown Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing . She was 93.

Born April 17, 1932, in Chicago, Illinois, Lee was a daughter of Vincent J. and Margaret M. (Demy) Pacini. After graduating from high school, she attended Loyola University.

On January 8, 1953, Lee married Thomas William Malone in Greenwich, Connecticut.

A licensed insurance agent for many years, Lee began her career with Allstate Insurance Company in Huntington on Long Island.

In 1971, the Malones moved to Cooperstown when Tom purchased the Hotel Pratt on Pioneer Street. Lee continued in the insurance industry, first as an agent and later as a marketing representative, with the Lewis L. Wilson Insurance Agency, which was purchased in 1988 by Colonial Insurance and located at 169 Main Street in Cooperstown. Lee also assisted her husband in owning and operating the Hotel Pratt until he retired in 1992.

For many years Lee served the Cooperstown community, a place she truly loved. She served on the Village Board of Trustees for several terms, and also served through the years on the Village’s Finance and Personnel Committee, Planning, Publicity and Entertainment Committees, the Board of Park Commissioners and as Deputy Mayor. One of her proudest accomplishments was spearheading the renovation of the bandstand in Lakefront Park. Lee served twice as President of the Criterion Club, and she also served the wider community as a three-term member of the BOCES Board of Directors and as a Hospice volunteer for six years.

Despite her years of community activity, Lee was always quick to say that her proudest achievement was her family, of whom she was extremely proud.

Lee is survived by her four daughters, Susan Trainor of Ronkonkoma, Gwen Malone of Cooperstown, Nancy Tallman and husband, Jim of Cooperstown, and Carol Jennings and husband, Chip of Cooperstown; grandchildren Eamon Trainor and wife, Megan, Meaghan Rose Trainor, Clayton Weeks and wife, Hiromi, Ryan and Michael Jacobson, Brooke Tallman, Jared Tallman and wife, Allison, Adam Jennings, and Kerri Jennings Graber and husband, Chad; great grandchildren Abigael Trainor, Finn and Kai Weeks, Colin, Riley, Molly and Andrew Bowen, Claire and Nolan Tallman, and Ella and Everly Graber; plus several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Tom Malone, who died October 30, 2002, and her son-in-law, William F. Trainor, who died March 1, 2013.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown, with the Very Rev. Michael G. Cambi, pastor, officiating. Immediately following the Mass there will be a time for refreshment and fellowship in the Parish Hall.

The Service of Committal and Burial will be private in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Index.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Donald P. Brown

1948 - 2025

Donald P. Brown, a former resident of Schoharie County who most recently had been residing at Heritage at The Plains at Parish Homestead in Oneonta, entered into eternal life Friday night, May 16, 2025, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown. He was 77.

Born January 22, 1948, in Amsterdam, Donald was a son of Gordon Stewart Brown and Erma (Edens) Brown.

In recent years, Donald was a delivery person for Meals on Wheels in Schoharie County.

He is survived by a sister, Jean A. Brown of Amsterdam, and a good friend, Shirley Cole of Summerville, SC.

There will be no services.

Mary Lou Friedlander

1933 - 2025

SLINGERLANDS—Mary Louisa (Cloon) Friedlander passed away peacefully on April 29, 2025, at Little Falls Hospital following a brief illness.

Mary Lou was born on May 15, 1933, in Ironwood, Michigan to the late Mary Louisa (King) and William Gabriel Cloon, and was very proud of her childhood in the UP. After graduating from Northwestern University and Chicago Wesley Memorial School of Nursing in 1955, Mary Lou worked as a clinical nurse at Chicago Lying-in Hospital, where she met her future husband, the late Robert L. Friedlander, M.D. While in college, Mary Lou pledged Alpha Chi Omega and remained a very proud supporter throughout her life. She was also fiercely devoted to the Northwestern University Wildcats football team.

Mary Lou and Bob were married in Ironwood, Michigan, on November 27, 1960, and settled immediately in Norfolk, Virginia, where Mary Lou worked as a nurse while Bob, a naval medical officer serving with the 6th Fleet, rejoined his ship, the USS James C. Owens, then touring the Mediterranean. After two years’ active service, Mary Lou and Bob moved to Albany when a former mentor asked Bob to join him at Albany Medical Center Hospital as an instructor and chief resident in obstetrics and gynecology (a noted OB-GYN, Bob would eventually serve as dean and president of Albany Medical College). Except for a brief stay in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Bob completed post-doctoral work in steroid biochemistry, Mary Lou and Bob remained life-long residents of Delmar and then Slingerlands.

Mary Lou’s early years in Upstate New York were spent supporting her husband’s busy, on-call obstetrics and gynecology practice and raising their two daughters (Suzan, Cooperstown and Rebecca, Reno, Nevada). Mary Lou also invested her energy and time ensuring that future generations of girls and women had more opportunities. Her impressive volunteer work included supporting the Delmar Dolfins Swim Club, fundraising with the Pan-Hellenic Council to help provide young women with college scholarships, and ensuring that the local high school was Title IX-compliant by helping establish a girls’ varsity swim team.

Some of Mary Lou’s favorite things included reading (particularly British history), receiving travel-related refrigerator magnets from friends and family, licorice, watching collegiate football and basketball, and cats. In fact, she often quipped that her obit could simply say “she loved cats” and that would be enough. Her Wildcats football faith was ultimately rewarded when her husband paid out a bet he never thought he’d lose—a dream trip to watch her beloved Wildcats play in the 1996 Rose Bowl. In her final years, her greatest delights were following Suzan’s career as a museum professional and being Rebecca’s number one competitive swim fan.

Mary Lou was predeceased by her husband; brother William G. Cloon Jr.; and brother- and sister-in-law Joe and Margaret (Friedlander) Cohen.

She is survived by her daughters, Suzan and Rebecca; sister-in-law Leonora “Nony” Cloon; nephews William Gregory Cloon (Melissa, William G., and Robert G.), Daniel Cohen (Wendy Wallace), David Cohen (Michelle Kaplan, Joshua, Samuel, and Olivia); and niece Alicia (Cohen) Lynn (Phillip, Griffin). Mary Lou was especially proud of her grand-nephews, grand-niece, and grand-canine Addie. She loved their visits and phone calls, and hearing about everything they were accomplishing!

Suzan and Rebecca would like to thank the staffs at St. Peter’s Hospital (Emergency; Surgical; McAuley) and Little Falls Hospital (Emergency; 3 East) for their exceptional care; and “The Debbies” for their bi-monthly visits, often with Wyatt, Mary Lou’s special canine friend.

No services will be held.

Donations to honor Mary Lou and her commitment to education, the arts, and animals can be made to Northwestern University, Alpha Chi Omega, Glimmerglass Opera, or the SPCA of your choosing.

Robert K. Lee

COOPERSTOWN – Robert K. Lee, 81, passed away peacefully on April 23, 2025.

Born in Glens Falls to EK and Lucille Lee, Rob excelled in wrestling during high school and earned the honor of becoming a decorated Eagle Scout. He graduated from Hartwick College in 1965 where he continued his passion for wrestling, and went on to receive his master’s degree from Ohio University in 1967.

After completing his studies, Rob embarked on an adventurous journey, backpacking through the islands of Japan with a close friend before volunteering for the Peace Corps, where he was stationed in Guam for two years.

In the early 1970s, Rob settled in the Cooperstown area, where he originally worked as a stonemason, married, and raised four children. Throughout his professional life, he pursued a variety of endeavors, including stonemasonry, marketing, advertising, and real estate development. However, his true passion was real estate, where his natural ability to connect with people shined, and which he continued to practice into the final year of his life.

Rob was a voracious reader and loved spending time outdoors. He enjoyed racquet sports, hunting, fishing, and any activity that brought him into nature.

He is survived by his four children, Tyler, Justin, Kristina, and Chase, who will forever cherish his adventurous spirit, deep love of learning, and connection to the outdoors.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Rob’s memory may be made to any of the following environmental organizations:

World Wildlife Fund
The Nature Conservancy
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

Jonathan Talbot Ross

1963 - 2025

COOPERSTOWN – Jonathan T. Ross, 61, passed away peacefully in his sleep, in his cabin, on his land in Hinman Hollow where he was his happiest. A longtime resident of Cooperstown and the surrounding area, Jonathan was a known favorite within the community. Nicknamed Jonny Bench for his reserved seat in Pioneer “Farkel” Park in Cooperstown, he will be truly missed by all dear friends and family.

Jonathan was born on May 7, 1963, in Passaic, New Jersey, to James and Barbara Ross. He was raised in Monmouth Beach, New Jersey, Rumson, New Jersey, and Cooperstown. During his early years he would become one of Madison Avenue’s top high fashion child models, along with his siblings, Alyssa and James Jr. Throughout the 1960s and 70s he modeled with many well known actors such as Wilhelmina and Brooke Shields, and appeared on Flip Wilson’s “Fifth Dimension” television show episode. He was also photographed many times by the famed photographer Otto Stupakoff. Along with his beloved siblings, they became very sought after and successful in the child modeling world of that time, seen often in catalogs and magazines such as J.C. Penney, “The New York Times Magazine,” and “Harper’s Bazaar” for labels like Lord and Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue. Jonathan was always said to have been the most successful model of all six of the Ross children.

Following a long career in childhood modeling, the family moved year-round to Cooperstown, where they had previously summered, when Jonathan was in high school. In 1980, Jonathan was chosen to play a soldier in the movie “The Private History of the Campaign that Failed,” based on a book by Mark Twain which was filmed in Otsego County. He spent his high school years working at the Peppermill as a prep cook, worked the rope tow at Mt. Otsego, and gardened for Mrs. Hadley in the summer months as well.

He graduated Cooperstown Central School in 1982, and then did a post graduate year of education at the Christchurch School in Christchurch, Virginia, along the Rappahannok River, where he sailed lasers and Sneakbox. Deciding college wasn’t his thing, he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in 1983. First stationed in New Bedford, Massachusetts, on the USCG High Endurance Unimac from 1983-1985 and then in Oswego from 1985-1987. In Oswego, he handled boats that did summersaults! Upon leaving the USCG he moved back to Cooperstown and began employment at Bruce Hall Corp. as a delivery man, where he worked for several years. He also captained the Chief Uncas and Narra Mattah fon Otsego Lake for a spell, until retiring to his bench in Farkel Park.

Jonathan won the hearts of many with deep conversations and greetings over the years. One can honestly say it takes a village, and Cooperstown and its surrounding community loved and were loved by him.

He was predeceased by his parents, James and Barbara, as well as his dear sister Alyssa Eppich and brother James Ross, Jr.

He is survived by three brothers, Joshua and his wife Betsy Ross of Marshfield, Massachusetts, Sam Ross of Hinman Hollow, and Justin Ross of Fly Creek; nephews Angus and Bert Ross of Marshfield, Massachusetts, Colin Ross of Cherry Valley, and Gilly Ross of Cooperstown; nieces Sarah Eppich of Maine and Lucy Ross of Cooperstown; a brother-in- law Frederick Eppich of Saco, Maine; Aunt Judy and Uncle Bill Weber of New Hampshire; Uncle Jonny Maczko of New Jersey; and cousins Lori, Kim and Cheryl, Robbie and Ryan.

A Memorial Service will be offered at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 24, 2025, at Christ Church, Cooperstown, with the Rev’d Nathan P. Ritter, Rector officiating. Towards the conclusion of the service Military Honors will be accorded by the United States Coast Guard Funeral Honor Guard. Immediately following the services at church, all are invited to a party at the Ross family pond in Hinman Hollow at 242 Lippitt Road, Hartwick.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Martin H. “Marty” Phillips II

1970 - 2025

COOPERSTOWN – Martin H. “Marty” Phillips II, a beloved husband, father, uncle, brother and co-worker, passed away in the early morning hours of Friday, April 18, 2025, at his home on Christian Hill. He was 55.

Born April 11, 1970, in Glens Falls, Marty was the son of Martin H. and Glenda I. (Center) Phillips.

As a student in the Hudson Falls school system, Marty enjoyed participating in many sports, including football and wrestling. He was proud that he raised the most money for cancer by swimming laps in 1987. He enjoyed skiing at West Mountain and playing basketball with his friends. He reminisced about his excitement as a kid waiting outside of the Glens Falls Civic Center to meet a professional wrestler. He was proud of “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, a Glens Falls Native! After graduating from Hudson Falls in 1989, he soon met Sherry Lynn Bartow. Relocating to Cooperstown, he and Sherry married on July 24, 1993.

Settling into the Cooperstown area that he would call home, Marty worked in the laboratory at Bassett Hospital. He then began a 26-year tenure at the United States Post Office as a Rural Letter Carrier, a job in which he excelled. Away from his postal route, Marty enjoyed playing golf, video games, cooking, landscape work, hunting, gathering friends for bonfires, and telling jokes. His sense of humor, delightfully old-fashioned and often involving puns and wordplay, became legendary among his family and friends.

Marty is survived by his beloved wife of 31 years, Sherry of Christian Hill, and their two children, Brandon Phillips (and girlfriend, Crystal) of Ilion and Marisa Phillips of Christian Hill; two siblings, David Phillips of Glens Falls and Laurie Ringer of Queensbury; his mother and father-in-law, Barbara and Jan Bartow of Middlefield; two sisters-in-law, Sue Markusen (and husband, Bruce) of Hartwick Seminary and Jenna Wratten of Milford; a brother-in-law, Mark Althiser (and wife, Fran) of Fly Creek; and aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, a nephew and a grandnephew.

Marty was predeceased by his mother, Glenda I. (Center) Floyd; his father, Martin “Marty” Floyd; and a brother-in-law, Dean Allen Wratten.

Marty’s family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 24, 2025, at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown.

A Funeral Service will be offered at 2 p.m. Friday, April 25, 2025, at the funeral home, with the Rev. Jessica Lambert, pastor of The First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, officiating.

The Service of Committal and Burial will follow at Hartwick Seminary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy can be made through memorial donations to the Susquehanna SPCA, 5082-5088 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, NY 13326, or to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Don Allan Oberriter

1937 - 2025

COOPERSTOWN – Don Allan Oberriter passed gently from this life into the arms of his Lord on the morning of April 11, 2025. Don was born in 1937 in Utica to John M. Oberriter and Bernice Ellen (Denielt) Oberriter. He graduated from Utica Free Academy, Class of 1955, and attended the University of Vermont for 2 years, majoring in Hotel & Resort Management.

In January 1961, Don was inducted into the Army at Los Angeles, CA where he stepped forward to take the Oath of Service, serving honorably at Fort Ord, Monterey, CA, at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, AL, and at Loring Air Base, Limestone, ME, with the 10th Ordinance detachment of Fort Devins, MA. There he was a Nike Ajax & Hercules missile and launcher technician and repairman servicing missile sites surrounding Loring Air Base. He was proud of having been promoted to Specialist 5th Class in his 19th month of service. He was honorably discharged in January 1963.

In his youth and young adult years, Don was an avid skier. His parents were accomplished skiers and Don, his brother and sister were all skiing by the age of 4. As members of the Snow Ridge Ski Club in Turin, they were soon racers. Don’s career spanned 30 years and over 200 sanctioned races. In 1954, he won the Catskill Downhill at Belleayre ski area while still a junior racer. In 1965, as a member of the Snow Ridge Club Racing Team, he raced in Switzerland and Austria of which he was especially proud. He continued enjoying skiing until he was 82.

As a sports car enthusiast, he attended with his father the 1950 and 1951 races in Watkins Glen where he fell in love with Porsches. He later owned two — a 1961 356 Coupe and a 1965 356 C Cabriolet, both of which he raced in amateur events and showed on Concourse (the beauty contest of cars…the cars were vey shiny!).

In his later life, Don was an avid golfer, sharing his passion for the sport with many friends while playing at Leatherstocking Golf Course and Otsego Golf Club.

On October 26, 1968, he and Sharon Ann Murphy were married at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Utica. He always credited Sharon, an English teacher at New Hartford Central School, with increasing his word power and smoothing his rough corners. They enjoyed 57 years together as partners in all they did.

Following the sale of the Oberriter family restaurant in New Hartford, in 1975, Don and Sharon opened Obies Brot Und Bier, a beer and sandwich bar in Cooperstown. It was a quick success and created enduring memories for many in Cooperstown and beyond. In 1981, Don’s restless brain focused on launching the Cooperstown Bat Company with Sharon. Through the years it became a national manufacturer of player and artistic bats for the burgeoning sports memorabilia market. After 28 years they sold it in 2009 and it continues to thrive today after 44 years.

Throughout his life, Don believed in community involvement which led to numerous business, social, veteran’s and sports organizations: Eastern Amateur Ski Association, US Amateur Ski Association (1953-1975), Sports Car Club of America, Porsche Club of America, the Over 70 Ski Club, the Mohican Club of Cooperstown, Lions Club of Cooperstown, Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, serving as a director 1978 - 1982, and Otsego County Chamber of Commerce.

Don approached life with great enthusiasm. He especially enjoyed the many people he met and his appreciation of their talents led to many life-long friendships. He particularly valued the many young people he had the privilege to employ and the opportunity to mentor as they grew in experience. He considered himself blessed by knowing them. He was happy anytime he could bring a smile and a laugh or tell someone how special they were. Life in Cooperstown gave him many close friends with whom he celebrated the joys of raising a family and being part of a close-knit community.

Don was predeceased by his parents, his infant son Aric Allan, his brother John Roger, his sister-in-law Natalie Oberriter, and his brothers-in-law Dan Guida and Terry Murphy.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon, son Andrew (Abby), daughter Megan (Timothy) Dinneen, grandchildren Lucy and MacArthur Oberriter and Maxwell and Indiana Dinneen, his sister Donna Cheryl Guida, sister-in-law Mary Murphy, nephews Matthew Murphy (Kristen), Jim Oberriter (Angel), Carl (Antoinette) Oberriter, nieces Kiersten Garrison (Randy Suzuki) and Monica Guida-Houghton (Richard) and many great nieces and nephews.

Don lived by a philosophy of helping others and paying it forward to friends and strangers. Please consider a donation to Cooperstown Food Pantry or to your favorite charity in his memory.

Calling hours are from 5 -7 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Connell, Dow and Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 1, 2025, at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church, 31 Elm Street, Cooperstown, with the Very Rev. Michael G. Cambi, Pastor officiating. The service will be followed by a gathering of friends in The Parish Center directly behind the Church.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Will Cohea

1955 - 2025

RICHFIELD SPRINGS – William “Will” Harvey Cohea III, of Richfield Springs, passed from this life into eternal life Friday morning, April 4, 2025, at his home surrounded by family. He was 69.

Born on May 30, 1955, to Rev. William “Bill” H. Cohea, Jr. and Mary Wimberly Cohea in Pittsburgh, PA, Will followed his father and the rest of the growing family as it moved to New Jersey and then Chicago’s northern suburbs. He attended elementary and middle school in Evanston. Will was an active, athletic kid, and he loved playing with trains and slot cars, backyard sports with neighborhood kids, fishing and listening to rock ‘n’ roll on WLS-AM on his portable transistor radio.

When the family moved to Winter Haven, FL, in 1971, Will took to the outdoors, working extra jobs to earn enough to buy a boat for fishing expeditions on nearby lakes, accompanied usually by his dog Shep. (The boat was named The Dee Dee Boo, after the dog’s nickname.) He began high school at Winter Haven High where he made the JV football team and was quite the tanned and buff young man at the many pool parties held out back of the house.

The family moved back north in 1973, taking residence in a row house near Fullerton Seminary in uptown Chicago. He graduated the next year from Lakeview Academy in Chicago. Out of high school, Will took photography classes and worked in the restaurant business before relocating to Pennsylvania in 1990, taking residence at Columcille with his father Bill. There he studied massage therapy and assisted with many projects at the flourishing megalithic park, creating paths into the woods, carrying and raising stones for the construction of the St. Oran Bell Tower, keeping the grounds and taking photos at events.

He met his future wife, Sarah Totin when she rented one of the apartments at Columcille and the two married in 1996.

Subsequently they lived in nearby Bangor in a house which Will completely renovated, including an office and treatment room for his massage business, a stone wall across the front and a lavish recreation area with Koi pond in back. There, Will also developed a photography business and did many shoots for local events, businesses and individuals.

When Bill Cohea passed in 2018, Will was on hand for his memorial in the St. Columba Chapel, which Will helped build in 1979 and where he and Sarah had exchanged wedding vows in 1996.

As part of their retirement plan, Will and Sarah moved to upstate New York in 2020, purchasing a Victorian house in Richfield Springs. There Will continued to hone his skills as a craftsman working on many projects renovating their 130-year old house. Will often took the dogs for a walk in a nearby hayfield, and many of his later photographs meditated on the play of light and shadow in that serene expanse.

Will’s cancer journey began in 2022 with a three-year battle using both traditional and alternative therapies. To the end, Will maintained a productive and happy life with Sarah.

A recent DNA test by a relative led to Will making a late-in-life connection with his son Paul Helsdon of Chicago, and the two spent a happy weekend together telling life stories and searching for common traits between them.

Will is survived by wife Sarah Totin Cohea, their dog Memphis, his son Paul Helsdon and brother J. David Cohea and sister Molly (Cohea) Tims, both of Florida. Will is predeceased by father Bill, mother Mary and brother Timm.

A service To the Glory of God and in Thanksgiving for the life of William H. Cohea III, will be offered at 3 p.m. Saturday, May, 17, 2025, at The First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, 67 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown, with the Rev. Jessica D. Lambert, Pastor officiating. Immediately following the service there will be a time for refreshment and fellowship in The Chapel.

On June 8, 2025, Will’s cremated remains will be interred in The St. Columba Chapel located in The Columcille Megalith Park in Bangor, PA.

Memorial donations may be directed to The Deacon’s Fund at The First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, 25 Church Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326, or Columcille Megalith Park, 2155 Fox Gap Road, Bangor, PA 18013.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Lynn A. Green

1946 - 2025

COOPERSTOWN – Lynn Adele Green, age 78, peacefully entered eternal life surrounded by her family late Sunday afternoon, March 23, 2025, at Cooperstown Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing.

A native of Staten Island, Lynn was born on June 28, 1946, in Westerleigh, a daughter of Kenneth C. and Violet May Decker. At the age of 12, Lynn and her family moved to West New Brighton. Upon graduation from Port Richmond High School, Lynn attended SUNY Oneonta.

On June 14, 1975, Lynn married Charles G. Green in a ceremony at the Fly Creek United Methodist Church. For many years Lynn and Charlie lived on Christian Hill where they raised their family. In 2018, she and Charlie moved to Cooper Lane Apartments in Cooperstown.

For 25 years, Lynn served as a teacher’s aide at Cooperstown Central School. She spent the first 20 years at the Elementary School and the last 5 years she served at the Middle/High School, retiring in 2013. She thrived at work, always going the extra mile to help students that may be having a rough time. Lynn always brightened up the room and the people around her.

Lynn had a huge heart. She was always there to lend a helping hand, even if you didn’t think you needed it. She truly enjoyed helping others with life’s struggles. She expressed her love with a hug, pep talk or through gifts of quilts and baked goods. There isn’t a problem that couldn’t be fixed with a few dozen of her famous chocolate chip cookies.

Lynn had a passion for cooking and was a particularly excellent baker. She loved hosting functions making sure to have plenty of leftover food for everyone to bring home. Handing out several pounds of her homemade fudge over the holidays to friends, co-workers and anyone that was near was a tradition. Bringing family and friends together, over food, brought her true joy.

Lynn loved spending time with her grandchildren. Working on crafts or sharing some of her culinary skills were some of her favorite activities. She could always be heard cheering from the sidelines for the people she loved.

Lynn loved life and was always on the go, constantly volunteering in the community at events for various charities and for years serving on several boards at the Town of Hartwick. She was a very faithful, devoted, and well-loved member of the Fly Creek United Methodist Church where she frequently hosted the “coffee hour” reception after services.

Lynn was also surrounded by great friends whom she loved. As a testament to her loyalty and kindness, she maintained friendships from all phases of her life, through growing up on Staten Island, attending college at SUNY Oneonta, working various jobs, and with her neighbors and colleagues at CCS.

Lynn will truly be missed. She positively touched endless people around her. The community will be a little less vibrant without her.

Lynn is survived by her and Charlie’s three sons, Brian Green of Tucson, AZ, Kevin Green and wife, April, along with their children Riley, Emma, Gabby and Griffin of Fly Creek, and Alex Green of San Diego, CA; sister, Carol Luokkala of Frasier, MI; brother-in-law, Henry A. Green and wife, Deborah of Cooperstown; nieces, Megan, Natalie, Leslie, Amy, Angele and nephew Jeffery, and their families; as well as her fourth son-at-large, Roger Sprague.

In addition to her parents, Lynn was predeceased by her husband of 43 years, Charlie, who passed on January 19, 2019, whom she greatly missed.

A service in celebration of the life of Lynn Green will be offered at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 14, 2025, (on what would have been her and Charlie’s 50th wedding anniversary) at the Fly Creek United Methodist Church. Rev. Dr. Wilson Jones, pastor, will officiate the service.

A reception will immediately follow the service, start time and reception location TBA.

The service of committal and burial will be private in Fly Creek Valley Cemetery, where Lynn will be laid to rest with Charlie.

As an alternative to flowers, the Green family respectfully requests that donations be made in memory of Lynn to the Fly Creek United Methodist Church, PO Box 128, Fly Creek, NY 13337.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Audree J. Lane

1932 - 2025

TODDSVILLE – Audree J. Lane, 92, a beloved long-time resident of Toddsville, passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at the A.O. Fox Nursing Home in Oneonta. She is now joyfully reunited in heaven with her cherished husband, Glen.

Born on July 25, 1932, at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, Audree was the daughter of Victor William Smith, Sr. and Eugenia Marie Dickson. She was lovingly raised by her mother and stepfather, Armin Kenneth Nickel. On June 24, 1956, she married the love of her life, Glen A. Lane, in Schenectady.

Audree was a woman of great kindness, strength, and devotion—traits that left a lasting impact on everyone who knew her. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and “GiGi” to her great-grandchildren. Known for her talent in wallpapering and her can-do spirit, there was truly nothing in the home she couldn’t accomplish. Audree found joy in crossword puzzles, bird watching, and, in her later years, adult coloring books. You could always count on Bob Ross being on TV, or the local news. She was also a passionate animal lover, especially fond of her dear cats.

She is survived by her children, Nancy J. Lane and Lynn E. Ives of Hartwick, and Glenn A. Lane and Timothy S. Lane of Toddsville; her grandchildren, Meagan Feola and her significant other, Rhakim Atkins, and their sons, RJ and Ely, Nicole White and her husband, Eric, and their daughters, Maci and Selena, Glenn A. Lane Jr. and his significant other, Shaunna, Natalie Lane and her fiancé, Justin Diaz, and their soon-to-arrive baby boy, Diaz, and Savannah Kroger and her husband, James as well as daughter Sofia. Audree is also survived by her brother, Armin K. “Skip” Nickel Jr. of Alplaus, and her sister, Gail Osterhoudt of Marlboro, MA.

She was predeceased by her husband, Glen (1999); her father, Victor; her mother, Eugenia; her stepfather, Armin; and her stepbrother, Victor W. Smith, and her son-in-law Robert F. Ives.

Audree’s life was a quiet, beautiful testament to love, family, and resilience. Her presence brought light and warmth to her family and community, and her legacy lives on in the hearts of all who loved her.

Family and friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at Connell, Dow, & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown. A funeral service will be held at 11a.m. on Friday, April 11, at the funeral home, with Rev. Dr. Wilson Jones, pastor of the Cooperstown United Methodist Church, officiating.

Committal and burial will follow in Fly Creek Valley Cemetery, where Audree will be laid to rest beside her beloved Glen, in eternal peace.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made to an animal rescue organization of your choice, in honor of Audree’s lifelong love for animals.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Edith M. Croft

1927 - 2025

HARTWICK – Edith M. Croft, 97, passed away peacefully at home in Hartwick surrounded by her family Wednesday morning, April 2, 2025.

Born November 6, 1927, in Utica, to Dorothy Mae Roberts, she grew up and attended school in the Utica area. At 16 she set out on her own and got a job at a sewing mill where she mastered the art of sewing anything and everything.

Edith married Merle G. Croft on May 18, 1946, and they began their family in 1948. In 1955, Edith and Merle moved to Hartwick and built their home on a little piece of land and raised their four children: Bob, Barb (husband, Jim), Rick and Dwayne (wife, Loli). Six grandchildren, Michael, Rebecca, David, Jeremy, Lucy and Sarah as well as four great grandchildren, Hunter, Avery, Jaden and Audrey, would join the family and know their grandmother’s house well.

As a homemaker, and mother, Edith was known for her clean house, amazing cooking and baking and common sense. Her flower beds brought her great joy, and during the warm months she could be found up to her elbows in them with a big smile on her face. She loved the look and smell of a freshly mowed lawn and, after Merle passed, mowed it herself until she was 85 years old. During cold months, she spent time knitting, reading and doing puzzles.

Edith was lucky enough to do a little travelling and especially enjoyed her trip to Rome to see The Vatican. She was always proud of her children’s accomplishments. A private woman, she never bragged or boasted about them and let each find and follow their own paths.

The oldest of 13 children, Edith is survived by her youngest sibling, Lon Thrasher and wife, MaryAnn of Utica, as well as a special niece, Sue Bulinski of Whitesboro. Edith’s husband of nearly 57 years, Merle, died on May 6, 2003.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church, Cooperstown, with the Very Rev. Michael G. Cambi, pastor, presiding. Immediately following the Mass, all are invited to gather in the Parish Hall for a time of refreshment, remembrance and fellowship.

Later this spring, the Service of Committal and Burial will be held in Hartwick Cemetery next to her husband, Merle.

The family would like to thank the Helios group for their unwavering support and kindness.

In lieu of flowers, take your family out to dinner and enjoy life.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Mary Tabor

1949 - 2025

HARTWICK – On March 2, 2025, Mary Tabor climbed on her horse Rebel and rode at a full gallop to rejoin her husband, her father, and her family as she held hands with her sons.

Mary was born in the parlor of her family home on October 19, 1949, to Kenneth Kane of Christian Hill. Her earliest memories were of riding through the fields on a stone boat and picking potatoes as her diaper dragged in the dirt. She lamented throughout her life that she had to forgo the fun of kindergarten; she spent her 5th year at home helping to take care of her father, who was immobile while he recovered from breaking his back. She made him soup for lunch every day because it was all she knew how to cook. A remarkable autodidact, Mary learned how to read and write that year, and entered school ahead of her peers. She said of her childhood that, “We had next to nothing, but somehow we had everything.”

She was, from her first day to her last, her father’s daughter. A 2nd grade classmate twice the size of the others was an indiscriminate tormenter, and one particular victim was made to cry every day. Mary seized a brief moment during which the teacher left the room and pushed the bully into a garbage can. When the teacher asked the class who did it, Mary took responsibility. She was rewarded with having her knuckles beaten with a ruler. The bullying stopped, and after her father went in the next day, the teacher never hit another child.

Mary’s childhood on a lively Christian Hill was bursting with horses, music, stories, friends, 4-H, and mothering a constant cast of children dropped off at the house when a family’s reduced circumstances forced them to turn to help from the Kane farm. Late in her life, she was shopping at Walmart when a man stopped her to ask if she was Mary Tabor. When she said yes, he explained that he had been one of those children. He told her that she’d saved his life.

While a teen, Mary’s sister Hilda’s hopelessly troubled car broke down in Hartwick. A gentleman one day removed from his release from the Navy offered to help; Ken Tabor drove them home, fell in love with Mary, and they were married for the last 55 years of his life.

Together they struck out west to the Binghamton area where Ken worked for IBM and Mary attended the Imperial School of Beauty Culture in Endicott. Her talent as a hairdresser was only eclipsed by her ability to put her clients at ease. She continued working as a beautician after moving back to Hartwick while she and Ken built their own family home on Christian Hill. They did not employ contractors; Mary, Ken, and their families provided both the skills and the labor.

As Mary brought up her own children, she began working at Cooperstown Central School as a volunteer, where she compiled an indefatigable community curriculum vitae: she was 5 minutes early for every Little People’s Theater rehearsal; her cowbell was the loudest at every football game through the 1980s; and under her guidance, Cooperstown’s annual yearbook was error-free, on time, and under budget. Each year she made sure that every student who wanted a yearbook got one, even if they couldn’t afford it.

Mary worked at Cooperstown with athletic directors Ted Kantorowski and Mike Cring. In her retirement, she joined Laurens Central School in special education with Sandy Kaster and a host of friends whom she talked about daily. At both schools her job titles were nearly nominal; her real work was providing overlooked students with the education that their schools, and occasionally parents, either couldn’t or wouldn’t.

Despite a full-time work schedule and devoting even more time to raising 3 boys, Mary earned a degree from Herkimer by taking classes at night. No winter storm would make her miss a class; through those years she periodically assisted the DEC with whitetail population control as she propped up local body shops. It paid off, as on countless occasions a conversation would reveal that someone just assumed she was a professor with a PhD. When she wasn’t serving as an oracle, she was reading. Her mind was at home both in the pages of the Western canon and within the stories of Jeffrey Archer and John Grisham.

Mary was a meticulous quilter who eschewed modern computerized machines for a traditional Singer Featherweight, and she became a staple at area auctions as she curated antiques and silver. Whether bullion or numismatic coins, Mary became a bellwether for other auction-goers, particularly with Morgan silver dollars. If she didn’t bid, it wasn’t worth having, and when she stopped bidding, the price was too high.

Her favorite memories included riding horses in Montana and traversing Las Vegas with her family, sipping limoncello on the Thames with her granddaughter, and poring over recipes in the Fannie Farmer cookbook with her grandson. She lived for every family holiday, which included the Kentucky Derby, as she provided all of them with an unshakeable, impenetrable stability that persists in perpetuity.

Mary continues to live on Christian Hill through her three boys, Jeffrey, Jason, and Matthew, all of Hartwick and Cooperstown, and her grandchildren Allison, Jacob, Peyton, and Lucas.

The Tabor family will receive friends from 4pm to 6pm on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown. At the conclusion of the visitation, a funeral service will be held at 6 pm at the funeral home.

Sharon Ann Gordon

1946 - 2025

Sharon Ann Gordon, 78, passed away peacefully Thursday afternoon, March 6, 2025, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown.

She was born July 19, 1946, at Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New Jersey, a daughter of Michael and Mary (Hession) Gray.

Sharon lived a good part of her life in Bergen County, New Jersey, and later moved to Barnegat, New Jersey with her husband, Martin Gordon. For the last eight and a half years of her life she lived in Cobleskill, New York.

Sharon had a passion for gardening, which bloomed wherever she went, along with her love for her Irish heritage; she had the opportunity to visit Ireland twice before she died.

Sharon is survived by her children, Traci (Barry) Swanson and Brian (Lissett) Marcason; her grandchildren, Briana Swanson, Connor Swanson, Olivia Swanson, Matthew Marcason, Nicholas Marcason and Emilia Marcason; and two sisters, Maureen Felici and Margaret Pellegrin.

She was predeceased by her husband, Martin Gordon; a sister, Michelle Curtin; and a brother, Peter Gray.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Saint Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church, 120 Washington Avenue, Westwood, New Jersey, with the Rev. Diego Navarro, Pastor, Presiding. The Service of Committal and Burial will follow at 11:45 a.m. in Rockland Cemetery, 201 Kings Highway, Sparkill, New York, where she will be laid to rest near her parents.

Dorothea Sittler

1924 - 2025

FLY CREEK – With great sorrow, we share the news that our family matriarch, Dorothea “Dorle” Sittler, has passed away at the age of 100 years. Her death, on February 23, 2025, at the Cooperstown Center was peaceful, and we thank the Center and Helios Care for their kind attendance to Dorothea in her last days.

Dorothea was born in the city of Munich, Germany, on August 15, 1924, the beloved daughter of Joseph and Meta (Laue) Balling. To obtain the best education for his daughter, her father secured her attendance at the Grotschule, a progressive girl’s school of national reputation in Pasing, outside Munich. Dorothea matriculated at that school for 5 years, starting at age 10. Fortuitously, she received instruction in the English language. That would serve her well for the rest of her life.

At the age of 15, after the unexpected death of her father, she went to work at Martin Rid, an import company in Munich. After the war, she learned that the American military government was in need of interpreters. She went to work there and met Captain Irving Sittler, who would turn out to be her future husband and the love of her life.

On May 9, 1947, she and Irving married in New York City. They would start a family and in 1956, they relocated from Long Island to a farm on Franklin Mountain, outside Oneonta. They loved their new found rural life and the freedom it gave, but it was difficult to make ends meet. While Irving worked at Bendix in Sidney, he and Dorothea ran the farm until 1973 when Irving retired from his job.

Afterwards, the two of them explored the United States by camper and in 1986, sold the farm. They moved to a house in the Town of Middlefield, where Irving died on July 7, 1993. Dorothea explored the world: Asia, Europe, Africa, Central and South America and the Middle East. Until she was 95, she would drive to the Ocala National Forest and stay in a camper from December to April each year. Together with a circle of likeminded campers, she lived a carefree outdoor existence amongst Ocala’s forests during these trips. Each year, she would return to her home, and mow 2 acres of lawn, maintain her house, and tend to her vegetable and flower gardens. She did this on her own, resisting assistance from family, proud of what she could do.

Finally, at 95, she moved to Keating Road, outside Fly Creek, to live closer to her surviving son, but still cooked her own meals, and did her own laundry, until a month before her death.

Dorle inspired everyone. She was extremely intelligent and her breadth of knowledge and extraordinary abilities were without peer. She possessed the ability to turn adversity to advantage. She was beloved by her family and all who knew her.

She was predeceased in death by her husband and her parents, along with her son Robert. She is survived by her son Lester, and his wife, Karen, her grandchildren Luke (Amanda), Adam (Caitlin), Meghan, and Zachary (Aleah), and her 8 great grandchildren, Hayes, Harper, Millie, Hazel, Aylah, Jack, Laylah, and Maggie. She also leaves numerous cousins and other descendants in Germany.

Burial will occur this spring in the family plot at the Ouleout Valley Cemetery in Franklin. In accordance with her wishes, there will be no funeral service but a celebration of her life will occur at that time.

Dorle loved to swim at Fairy Spring Park until she no longer could. Accordingly, the family requests that any donations in her memory be made to Cooperstown Friends of the Parks, PO Box 1008, Cooperstown NY 13326.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.